The best Move Mouse alternatives

People leave Move Mouse when Teams still shows Away while it runs, or when activity stops because the PC locks or sleeps. If the laptop must be closed or off, Idle Pilot keeps Slack or Teams Available from the cloud. For Teams on a PC you sit at, try NeverAwayTeams; for Mac and Windows, Green Dotter. Stay with Move Mouse for a free, open-source activity simulator with schedules on a PC that stays on.

Disclosure: Idle Pilot wrote this page and makes one of the tools on it. Vendor facts come from each vendor's own site, checked October 2026. Idle Pilot is not affiliated with Move Mouse.

Why people switch from Move Mouse

  • It makes no Teams or Slack claim. Its README and wiki do not mention either app. In a 2022 GitHub issue, Teams showed Away while it ran, and the developer attributed that to Teams.
  • A locked screen ends the activity. By default Move Mouse stops when you lock your session, and its developer says nothing at the lock screen can reach software in the locked session. Microsoft says Teams shows Away when the computer is locked.
  • The PC has to stay on, and it is Windows only. Move Mouse runs on Windows 10 and 11 and needs the PC on and awake. Microsoft says Teams shows Offline once the computer sleeps.

At a glance

Checked October 2026 on each vendor's own site. Prices and features can change.
Tool Type Laptop closed Price
Move Mouse Software mouse jiggler Lid-closed operation is not documented; the computer must stay on and awake. It cannot work while asleep or off. Free
Idle Pilot Cloud presence tool Yes: it runs in the cloud, so the laptop can be closed, asleep, or off $9 per month or $60 per year
NeverAwayTeams Software mouse jiggler Lid-closed operation is not documented; the computer must stay on and awake. It cannot work while asleep or off. Free; Pro from €1 per month
Green Dotter Software mouse jiggler Lid-closed operation is not documented; the computer must stay on and awake. It cannot work while asleep or off. Free; optional Pro from $12.99 once
Auto Mouse Mover Software mouse jiggler Lid-closed operation is not documented; the computer must stay on and awake. It cannot work while asleep or off. $8.76 per 6 months
Vaydeer USB Mouse Jiggler Hardware mouse jiggler Lid-closed operation is not documented; the computer must stay on and awake. It cannot work while asleep or off. $14.99 (vaydeer.com, Oct 2026)

The alternatives

1. Idle Pilot

Idle Pilot maintains Slack or Microsoft Teams availability from the cloud during saved Work Hours.

Runs on
Cloud. Set up once in desktop Chrome with the Idle Pilot extension
Keeps Teams or Slack Available
Yes: Slack or Microsoft Teams, one account at a time
Laptop closed
Yes: it runs in the cloud, so the laptop can be closed, asleep, or off
Price
$9 per month or $60 per year

Why it fits: It runs from the cloud instead of the PC, so Slack or Teams stays Available during saved Work Hours with the laptop closed, asleep or off. It is not a mouse jiggler and does not move your mouse.

Watch out: Unlike Move Mouse it is paid, $9 per month or $60 per year after a 3-day free trial, for one Slack workspace or one Teams account at a time.

Idle Pilot pricing

2. NeverAwayTeams

Portable Windows app that sends a tiny mouse or key signal when you stop typing so Teams stays Available; Pro opens and closes Teams on a schedule.

Runs on
Windows 10 and Windows 11
Keeps Teams or Slack Available
Teams: yes, per the vendor, while the PC is on and awake. It says presence works whichever chat app you use; it does not name Slack.
Laptop closed
Lid-closed operation is not documented; the computer must stay on and awake. It cannot work while asleep or off.
Price
Free; Pro from €1 per month

Why it fits: It is built for Teams: the vendor says Teams stays Available while the PC is on and awake, and Pro opens and closes Teams on a weekly schedule and waits if Teams looks busy.

Watch out: The PC must stay on and awake, it does not name Slack, and the schedule needs Pro, from €1 per month.

NeverAwayTeams website Idle Pilot vs NeverAwayTeams NeverAwayTeams alternatives

3. Green Dotter

Free Mac and Windows auto clicker and mouse jiggler that wiggles the mouse or clicks an area you choose, with a weekly scheduler in beta.

Runs on
macOS 11 or later (Intel and Apple Silicon) and Windows 10 or later (64-bit)
Keeps Teams or Slack Available
Its FAQ says yes for Slack and Teams while a session runs, depending on your Teams setup, and that mouse movement alone is often not enough for Slack.
Laptop closed
Lid-closed operation is not documented; the computer must stay on and awake. It cannot work while asleep or off.
Price
Free; optional Pro from $12.99 once

Why it fits: Green Dotter is free on Mac and Windows and has a weekly scheduler in beta. Its FAQ describes Slack support through chosen click areas and qualifies Teams behavior by setup and workplace policy.

Watch out: It requires an awake computer and pauses at screen lock or sleep.

Green Dotter website Idle Pilot vs Green Dotter Green Dotter alternatives

4. Auto Mouse Mover

Paid Windows utility from MurGee that moves the mouse cursor a set number of pixels at a set interval to keep the PC awake.

Runs on
Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server editions
Keeps Teams or Slack Available
Its site says it prevents your PC from "changing your workplace status to Away", but it does not name Microsoft Teams or Slack.
Laptop closed
Lid-closed operation is not documented; the computer must stay on and awake. It cannot work while asleep or off.
Price
$8.76 per 6 months

Why it fits: Its site says it keeps your PC from changing your workplace status to Away, and its standalone version runs without installation or admin rights, with start triggers and pause conditions.

Watch out: It requires an awake PC with undocumented lid-closed behavior, does not name Teams or Slack, and costs $8.76 per computer for six months after its trial.

Auto Mouse Mover website Idle Pilot vs Auto Mouse Mover Auto Mouse Mover alternatives

5. Vaydeer USB Mouse Jiggler

Plug-and-play metal USB device that the computer sees as a regular mouse and that moves the cursor to keep the computer awake.

Runs on
USB port. Vaydeer lists Windows 7, 8, and 10, "iOS", and Linux; its Amazon listing lists Windows, Mac OS, and Linux
Keeps Teams or Slack Available
Its USB jiggler listing does not say whether it keeps Teams or Slack Available. Vaydeer's separate mechanical mouse mover listing says it is useful for Microsoft Teams.
Laptop closed
Lid-closed operation is not documented; the computer must stay on and awake. It cannot work while asleep or off.
Price
$14.99 (vaydeer.com, Oct 2026)

Why it fits: It needs no driver or software: the computer sees a regular USB mouse that moves the cursor, and its listings cover Windows, Mac and Linux. It is a one-time purchase ($14.99 on vaydeer.com in October 2026).

Watch out: It requires an awake computer, has no documented lid-closed behavior, schedule, or Teams or Slack claim, and adds a USB mouse that device management can log.

Vaydeer USB Mouse Jiggler website Idle Pilot vs Vaydeer USB Mouse Jiggler Vaydeer USB Mouse Jiggler alternatives

When Move Mouse is still the right choice

Move Mouse is still the better choice when your PC stays on and unlocked and you want a free, open-source tool with weekday and cron schedules, blackout windows, and actions such as clicks, scrolls or scripts. Its wiki recommends the portable zip for work PCs, where the Microsoft Store is often unavailable.

Move Mouse sources

FAQ

What is the best Move Mouse alternative?
For Slack or Teams while the laptop is closed, asleep, or off, Idle Pilot runs from the cloud for $9 per month or $60 per year. NeverAwayTeams claims Teams support on an awake Windows PC and is free for one device. Green Dotter is free on Mac and Windows; its FAQ describes Slack clicks and qualifies Teams behavior by setup and workplace policy.
Is there a free Move Mouse alternative?
Yes. Green Dotter is free with no account, and NeverAwayTeams is free for one device with no time limit; its weekly schedule needs Pro, from €1 per month. Mouse Jiggler for Windows is also free, with source code on GitHub. Auto Mouse Mover and Idle Pilot are paid; Idle Pilot has a 3-day free trial with no credit card.
Which Move Mouse alternative works with the laptop closed?
Idle Pilot keeps one Slack workspace or one Teams account Available during saved Work Hours from the cloud with the laptop closed, asleep, or off. Move Mouse, NeverAwayTeams, Green Dotter, Auto Mouse Mover, and Vaydeer's USB jiggler require an awake computer. Lid-closed operation is undocumented for these tools; none can operate while the computer is asleep or off.
Can my employer see that I use Move Mouse or an alternative?
Possibly. Device management can list installed apps and USB devices, including a USB jiggler, and monitoring software can record input, including simulated mouse moves and clicks. Slack and Teams admins can see sessions, devices and network origins, which applies to Idle Pilot. No tool here is approved for your workplace by default, so check your employer's rules first.

Related

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Idle Pilot facts

Idle Pilot maintains Slack or Microsoft Teams availability from the cloud during saved Work Hours.

Who it is for
For people who want availability to follow work hours when the laptop is closed, asleep, or off.
Connected account
One Slack workspace or one Microsoft Teams account at a time. You can switch platforms.
Price
Freedom Pass costs $9 per month or $60 per year.
Trial
3-day free trial · No credit card. The trial starts at the first Slack or Teams connection. 7 days if you connect within 3 hours of sign-up.
First setup
Connect once in desktop Google Chrome with the Idle Pilot extension. You can remove the extension after linking. Mobile-only linking is not supported. View the extension.
Limits
Presence only: it does not write custom status messages or read chats and files. It is not a mouse jiggler. Your employer’s rules still apply; availability is not proof of work.
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